I swirled the ice around in my glass. At least I wasn’t the third wheel tonight. Because Tanner was here too. I actually preferred hanging out with Bee and Mason the most because they didn’t have any kids. It was just adults talking. I loved my friends’ kids, but I didn’t need to talk about them nonstop like parents always seemed to.
“What was Mason like in high school?” Bee asked me.
I shrugged. “The same.”
Bee laughed. “I’m pretty sure I had an awkward stage between first and twelfth grade. Unlike you guys with your amazing Caldwell genes. I hope our kids get them.”
I was pretty sure my fingers tightened on my glass. Not you guys too. It was hard enough being the only single one. I didn’t want to be the only one without kids too.
Mason laughed. “You should see your face right now. I promise Bee’s not pregnant.”
I breathed a loud sigh of relief, which made Bee laugh harder.
She lifted up her glass. “I’ve had like three glasses of wine. Definitely not pregnant, Matt. But really, would it be so bad to be an uncle?”
“I am an uncle.”
“I mean like a real one. A blood one.”
It didn’t matter that I wasn’t a blood relation to James and Robs’ kids. I still loved those little brats. “Are you guys really thinking about it?”
“Maybe next year,” Bee said and looked over at Mason.
A few years ago he would have looked as shocked as me. Instead, he just shrugged.
I silently cursed. They were definitely about to pop out a dozen babies and leave me behind.
“To be young and in love again,” Tanner sighed.
He was still young. And had plenty of time to find love. He was being such a diva tonight.
“Ah, to being young and in love.” Bee lifted up her wine glass and a little sloshed out the side. She was so drunk. Adorably so. Which was my fault since I kept buying everyone more rounds.
“Matt.” She reached out and grabbed my hand. “What’s going on with you? You keep doing that thing with your face.” She pulled her lips into an exaggerated frown.
“I’m fine.” I patted her hand.
“Only people who aren’t fine say that they’re fine. You can tell us anything, you know.”
I glanced at Mason. I was pretty sure he’d been hoping I’d talk about Brooklyn for years. But I wasn’t going to start tonight. “There’s nothing to tell.”
“You’re a terrible liar. Tell me right now or you…you’ll have to pay for all the drinks.”
“All the drinks are already on my tab.”
“Oh, crap.” She stared at me. “I knew that. And I had three glasses to make up for Penny and Daphne not drinking. Because they were being lame with mom duties.”
“Because they’re breastfeeding, yeah.”
She waved her hand through the air. “That’s what I said. So you’ll have to pay for the drinks.”
I laughed. “I just told you. The drinks are all on my tab anyway.”
She nodded. “Right. So tell me the truth or I’ll…” she looked down at her glass of wine like she was about to say I’d have to pay for drinks again. But then her head snapped back up. “Or I’ll do something terrible to you in your sleep.”
“What the hell does that mean? When have you ever even been near me while I’m sleeping?”
She shrugged. “Wouldn’t it be scary to find out?”
Yeah, she was definitely drunk.
“If something is bothering you, we are here to listen,” Mason said.
I pressed my lips together. I actually did need some advice. I looked back at Bee. There was a 50-50 chance she wouldn’t remember any of this anyway. I cleared my throat. It would feel better to get this off my chest. “Poppy visited my office this week.”
Mason raised his eyebrow. “Poppy? As in…Isabella’s cousin?”
“Yup, that one.”
“Isabella has a cousin?” Bee said way too loudly. “Oh God, is she as awful as Isabella?”
I hadn’t thought so until this week. Now I was worried she was somehow worse.
“I didn’t even know that Richard Pruitt had a niece,” Tanner said. “Why didn’t I know that?”
“Because she wasn’t important. I hadn’t seen her in over a decade.”
“Wait.” Tanner slammed his hand down on the table. “Wasn’t important? That implies that she is now. Did you sleep with her?”
“Ew. No. She’s freaking devil spawn.”
“Phew. You had me worried there for a second. Remember, you have to introduce me to any lucky lady you’re planning to bed.”
“Why does Matt have to introduce you to women he’s…to bed with?” Bee asked.
“So I can…approve of them.”
Bee laughed. “You’re so funny, Tanner.”
That was one way to put it.
“Really everything you say is so so funny. And…” her voice trailed off. “God I have the perfect word, it’s on the tip of my tongue. Why can’t I think of it?”
Mason put his arm around Bee’s shoulders. “I think we should probably head out before Bee remembers that other word.”
“Hey.” She elbowed him in his side. “But yes. Take me home. I’m tired.”
He smiled down at her. “Your wish is my command.” He grabbed her coat and draped it over her shoulders. He was about to lead her out of the bar when he turned back to me. “Sorry, Matt. What was your story about Poppy? Why did she stop by?”
I didn’t know why I’d brought it up. I didn’t want to worry him. “No reason. It was really random.”
“Huh.” He shrugged his shoulders. “Well, have a good night, you two.”
Bee blew Tanner and me each a kiss.
I pretended to choke on it and she laughed.
“That went really well,” Tanner said.
I ran my fingers through my hair. “You tried to get James to drug me. And you fought with Rob again.”
“Robert argued with me. And James does owe you a drugged drink, if I do recall correctly. I thought everything went great. So tell me about Poppy. Is she hot?”
“No.”
“No she’s not hot? Or no you’re not going to tell me about her?”
“Both.”
“Hm. Sounds like something you need to talk about.”
I sighed. He knew me too well. “Mr. Pruitt sent her. Because I didn’t respond to his texts.”
“Well, he did say it was urgent this time. I have an idea. How about I come with you when you go see him. That way nothing bad can happen.”
“That would just ensure that bad things would happen to both of us.”
He shook his head. “Nonsense. He wouldn’t mess with me.”
“Mr. Pruitt messes with everyone.”
“But no one messes with me.”
I stared at him. He looked dead serious. Yes, Tanner had more money than anyone else I knew. Including the Pruitts. But I knew that money didn’t make him untouchable. And it certainly couldn’t protect him from Mr. Pruitt’s line of work.
“Just think about it,” Tanner said. “Like I told you before, it would probably be best just to get it over with. And this way you wouldn’t have to do it alone. You’d have me.”